Letter to Oliver Cowdery, circa April 1836

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

Dear Sir—This
place having recently been visited by a gentleman who advocated the
principles or doctrines of those who are called abolitionists; if you
deem the following reflections of any service, or think they will
have a tendency to correct the opinions of the southern public,
relative to the views and sentiments I believe, as an individual, and
am able to say, from personal knowledge, are the feelings of others,
you are at liberty to give them publicity in the columns of the
Advocate. I am prompted to this course in consequence, in one
respect, of many elders having gone into the Southern States, besides, there now
being many in that country who have already embraced the fulness of
the gospel, as revealed through the
book of
Mormon,—having learned, by experience, that the enemy of truth
does not slumber, nor cease his exertions to bias the minds of
communities against the servants of the Lord, by stiring up the
indignation of men upon all matters of importance or interest.

Thinking,
perhaps, that the sound might go out, that “an abolitionist” had held
forth several times to this community, and that the public feeling
was not aroused to create mobs or disturbances, leaving the
impression that all he said was concurred in, and received as gospel
and the word of salvation. I am happy to say, that no violence or
breach of the public peace was attempted, so far from this, that all
except a very few, attended to their own avocations and left the gentleman
to hold forth his own arguments to nearly naked walls.

I am aware,
that many who profess to preach the gospel, complain against their
brethren of the same faith, who reside in the south, and are ready to
withdraw the hand of fellowship because they will not renounce the
principle of slavery and raise their voice against every thing of the
kind. This must be a tender point, and one which should call forth
the candid reflection of all men, and especially before they advance
in an opposition calculated to lay waste the fair States of the
South, and set loose, upon the
world a community of people who might peradventure, overrun our
country and violate the most sacred principles of human
society,—chastity and virtue.

No
one will pretend to say, that the people of the free states are as
capable of knowing the evils of slavery as those who hold them. If
slavery is an evil, who, could we expect, would first learn it? Would
the people of the free states, or would the slave states? All must
readily admit, that the latter
would first learn this fact. If the fact was learned first by those
immediately concerned, who would be more capable than they of
prescribing a remedy?

And besides,
are not those who hold slaves, persons of ability, discernment and
candor? Do they not expect to give an account at the bar of God for
their conduct in this life? It may, no doubt, with propriety be said,
that many who hold slaves live without the fear of God before their
eyes, and, the same may be said of many in the free states. Then who
is to be the judge in this matter?

So long, then,
as those of the free states are not interested in the freedom of the
slaves, any other than upon the mere principles of equal rights and
of the gospel, and are ready to admit that there are men of piety who
reside in the South, who are immediately concerned, and until
they complain, and call for assistance, why not
cease their clamor, and no further urge the slave to acts of murder,
and the master to vigorous discipline, rendering both miserable, and
unprepared to pursue that course which might otherwise lead them both
to better their condition? I do not believe that the people of the
North have any more right to say that the South shall
not hold slaves, than the South have to say the North
shall.

And further,
what benefit will it ever be to the slave for persons to run over the
free states, and excite indignation against their masters in the
minds of thousands and tens of thousands who understand nothing
relative
[p. [289]]

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

Dear Sir—This
place having recently been visited by a gentleman who advocated the
principles or doctrines of those who are called abolitionists; if you
deem the following reflections of any service, or think they will
have a tendency to correct the opinions of the southern public,
relative to the views and sentiments I believe, as an individual, and
am able to say, from personal knowledge, are the feelings of others,
you are at liberty to give them publicity in the columns of the
Advocate. I am prompted to this course in consequence, in one
respect, of many elders having gone into the Southern States, besides, there now
being many in that country who have already embraced the fulness of
the gospel, as revealed through the
book of
Mormon,—having learned, by experience, that the enemy of truth
does not slumber, nor cease his exertions to bias the minds of
communities against the servants of the Lord, by stiring up the
indignation of men upon all matters of importance or interest.

Thinking,
perhaps, that the sound might go out, that “an abolitionist” had held
forth several times to this community, and that the public feeling
was not aroused to create mobs or disturbances, leaving the
impression that all he said was concurred in, and received as gospel
and the word of salvation. I am happy to say, that no violence or
breach of the public peace was attempted, so far from this, that all
except a very few, attended to their own avocations and left the gentleman
to hold forth his own arguments to nearly naked walls.

I am aware,
that many who profess to preach the gospel, complain against their
brethren of the same faith, who reside in the south, and are ready to
withdraw the hand of fellowship because they will not renounce the
principle of slavery and raise their voice against every thing of the
kind. This must be a tender point, and one which should call forth
the candid reflection of all men, and especially before they advance
in an opposition calculated to lay waste the fair States of the
South, and set loose, upon the
world a community of people who might peradventure, overrun our
country and violate the most sacred principles of human
society,—chastity and virtue.

No
one will pretend to say, that the people of the free states are as
capable of knowing the evils of slavery as those who hold them. If
slavery is an evil, who, could we expect, would first learn it? Would
the people of the free states, or would the slave states? All must
readily admit, that th[e] latter
would first learn this fact. If the fact was learned first by those
immediately concerned, who would be more capable than they of
prescribing a remedy?

And besides,
are not those who hold slaves, persons of ability, discernment and
candor? Do they not expect to give an account at the bar of God for
their conduct in this life? It may, no doubt, with propriety be said,
that many who hold slaves live without the fear of God before their
eyes, and, the same may be said of many in the free states. Then who
is to be the judge in this matter?

So long, then,
as those of the free states are not interested in the freedom of the
slaves, any other than upon the mere principles of equal rights and
of the gospel, and are ready to admit that there are men of piety who
reside in the South, who are immediately concerned, and until
they complain, and call for assistance, why not
cease their clamor, and no further urge the slave to acts of murder,
and the master to vigorous discipline, rendering both miserable, and
unprepared to pursue that course which might otherwise lead them both
to better their condition? I do not believe that the people of the
North have any more right to say that the South shall
not hold slaves, than the South have to say the North
shall.

And further,
what benefit will it ever be to the slave for persons to run over the
free states, and excite indignation against their masters in the
minds of thousands and tens of thousands who understand nothing
relative
[p. [289]]

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and 1,000 others; in 1838 about 2,000 Saints and 1,200 others; in 1839 about 100 Saints and 1,500 others. Mormon missionaries visited township...